EMB145 first officer reports rudder system failure during climb rendering autopilot and yaw damper i...

Attributes
ACN	805108
Time
Date	200809
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hsv.airport
State Reference	AL
Altitude	msl single value : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	805108
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : eicas other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

At 12000 ft with the autoplt on in flight crew mode the aircraft started to pitch up and down to chase the 270 KT airspeed. So; I switched to vertical speed mode on the fcp and selected the correct vertical speed for 270 IAS. I was trying to smooth out the climb attitude for passenger comfort. At 13000 ft MSL the aural 'autoplt; autoplt' sounded. There were 3 EICAS messages: autoplt fail (red); rudder system 1-2 inoperative (amber) yaw dam fail (amber). I did have my hands on the controls and resumed control of the aircraft under hand flying conditions. The aircraft was trimmed and in a good pitch attitude; no roll condition for the climb confign. I flew the aircraft to cruise altitude while captain reviewed the aom and called maintenance control and dispatch. I worked the radios and flew the aircraft to a cruise altitude of 28000 ft MSL. We were not rvsm equipped because the autoplt failure so I changed our suffix and took 28000 ft for direction of flight. The captain did declare an emergency because of the loss of a flight control system. The rest of the flight was uneventful. The reason for the autoplt failure is still unknown to me at this time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB145 FO REPORTS RUDDER SYSTEM FAILURE DURING CLIMB RENDERING AUTOPILOT AND YAW DAMPER INOPERATIVE. ACFT IS HAND FLOWN TO DESTINATION AT FL280.

Narrative: AT 12000 FT WITH THE AUTOPLT ON IN FLC MODE THE ACFT STARTED TO PITCH UP AND DOWN TO CHASE THE 270 KT AIRSPD. SO; I SWITCHED TO VERT SPD MODE ON THE FCP AND SELECTED THE CORRECT VERT SPD FOR 270 IAS. I WAS TRYING TO SMOOTH OUT THE CLB ATTITUDE FOR PAX COMFORT. AT 13000 FT MSL THE AURAL 'AUTOPLT; AUTOPLT' SOUNDED. THERE WERE 3 EICAS MESSAGES: AUTOPLT FAIL (RED); RUDDER SYS 1-2 INOP (AMBER) YAW DAM FAIL (AMBER). I DID HAVE MY HANDS ON THE CTLS AND RESUMED CTL OF THE ACFT UNDER HAND FLYING CONDITIONS. THE ACFT WAS TRIMMED AND IN A GOOD PITCH ATTITUDE; NO ROLL CONDITION FOR THE CLB CONFIGN. I FLEW THE ACFT TO CRUISE ALT WHILE CAPT REVIEWED THE AOM AND CALLED MAINT CTL AND DISPATCH. I WORKED THE RADIOS AND FLEW THE ACFT TO A CRUISE ALT OF 28000 FT MSL. WE WERE NOT RVSM EQUIPPED BECAUSE THE AUTOPLT FAILURE SO I CHANGED OUR SUFFIX AND TOOK 28000 FT FOR DIRECTION OF FLT. THE CAPT DID DECLARE AN EMER BECAUSE OF THE LOSS OF A FLT CTL SYS. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. THE REASON FOR THE AUTOPLT FAILURE IS STILL UNKNOWN TO ME AT THIS TIME.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

EMB145 first officer reports rudder system failure during climb rendering autopilot and yaw damper inoperative. Aircraft is hand flown to destination at FL280.